Sacred Heart School continues to integrate faith into its curriculum as it adjusts to a new mandated way of teaching students.
The Arthur Drive elementary school, which has an enrollment of about 370 students this year, has Catholic education themes that set a direction for each year. This year's theme is: "Proclaim Jesus With Loving Heart."
Having been in Ladner for 71 years, and at its current location since 1999, the K-7 school, which also accepts international students, has faith woven into all aspects of school life, but has always followed the core curriculum and learning outcomes prescribed by the B.C. Ministry of Education.
The school's enhanced curriculum combines foundational skills with creative activities and inspiring assignments, while allowing for differentiated instruction to meet the needs of students' learning styles.
Much has been made lately of the B.C. government redesigning the education curriculum to help teachers create learning environments that are more engaging and personalized.
At the heart of the new curriculum are core competencies, essential learning, and literacy and numeracy foundations, which Sacred Heart principal Kelly Kozack says can still blend well with their own approach to education guided by Catholic
faith. "It will work out and we're working on that right now with staff and in our Pro D (Day) that's one of our big focuses this year. We're working on permeating the Catholic faith throughout the curriculum, the same as we're doing right now," he says.
"It is a new curriculum but we'll be looking at it the same way, working hard to make sure we're integrating the Catholic faith as best we can throughout the entire day throughout all subjects."
Kozack adds it's been extremely rewarding in his second year as principal of Scared Heart. A former teacher and vice-principal at the school, he left to be principal elsewhere but got the opportunity to return.
Two of his own children have attended the school while he has been at the helm, a son who has since gone on to Vancouver College and a daughter now in Grade 6. Sacred Heart is hosting its second annual Celebrate Our School event tomorrow in conjunction with its open house. A pasta dinner will be offered between 6 and 7 p.m. followed by dancing "kid-style" hosted by Dynamic DJ Service.
Other upcoming events include a big fundraiser on Feb. 19 for the school's Missions Club, which is raising money for Operation Smile.
For more information about the school, located at 3900 Arthur Dr., check out shsdelta.org/index.php.
